...the next day, Paul purified himself...
In the last half of Acts 21 we read of Paul’s arrival in Jerusalem. The Christians there are very happy to see him and seem to be very happy about the work that God has allowed him to do among the Gentiles, but there have been rumours among the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem that Paul is turning Jews in other places away from the law of Moses.
This is a big deal for them, because it is very much part of who they are, as descendants of Abraham, and as God’s chosen people.
So, Paul is urged to participate in a cleansing ritual and to pay for some other Christian Jews who were just finishing up a Nazirite vow. He does this, seemingly willingly.
BUT, in other places he makes it very clear that people are freed from the restrictions of the law! So what is going on here?
Well, it’s another example of Paul doing what is best for the gospel, and not holding too tightly on to other things. He himself is Jewish and he, from all that we can tell in his letters, tries to keep the law as much as he can as an apostle to the gentiles. But he also knows that it is important to not be a stumbling block to believers (of whatever background).
So that is my prayer for today, “Lord, help me not to be a stumbling block to others. Help me to do what is necessary for the gospel. Thank you, Lord for your love and for who you are. Amen.”
in His service,
Pastor Dan.
This is a big deal for them, because it is very much part of who they are, as descendants of Abraham, and as God’s chosen people.
So, Paul is urged to participate in a cleansing ritual and to pay for some other Christian Jews who were just finishing up a Nazirite vow. He does this, seemingly willingly.
BUT, in other places he makes it very clear that people are freed from the restrictions of the law! So what is going on here?
Well, it’s another example of Paul doing what is best for the gospel, and not holding too tightly on to other things. He himself is Jewish and he, from all that we can tell in his letters, tries to keep the law as much as he can as an apostle to the gentiles. But he also knows that it is important to not be a stumbling block to believers (of whatever background).
So that is my prayer for today, “Lord, help me not to be a stumbling block to others. Help me to do what is necessary for the gospel. Thank you, Lord for your love and for who you are. Amen.”
in His service,
Pastor Dan.
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ONE of the Reasons I Favour Women in Church Office...
Today’s passage for the Zion New Testament Challenge is Acts 21:1-14. My title for today may seem a bit inflammatory to some, but I don’t mean it to be. Our denomination (the Christian Reformed Church in North America) officially states that there are two legitimate ways of looking at this issue of women in church office, and that either one can be held by members of our churches in good conscience.
I, however, have come to the place where I believe that women ought to be given roles in the church on an equal basis with men (both in terms of the skills required, and the specific kinds of roles). For example, I believe that women are given biblical license to be pastors, elders and deacons.
Now, I know that will be controversial to some of you. Some of you will say, “How can he say that when he knows about Paul’s admonishment that women ought to stay silent in the church, and that elders ought to be husbands of but one wife?”
Well I won’t go into the whole thing today, but this passage here is one (only one) of the passages that changed my mind on this. In this passage we read more about the journeys of Paul and his companions. Along the way they stay at Philip’s house (one of the seven men who was chosen to be a deacon in the early church--along with Stephen the first martyr). Philip, it turns out, has four unmarried daughters who “prophesied.”
Now remember, this passage is not the only one I rely on for my beliefs on this issue, but notice here that these four young women prophesied. Prophecy (unlike how we sometimes think of it today) is not simply the predicting of the future. Prophecy is a special gifting of communicating God’s truth to His people. It quite often involves visions, but not always. It quite often involves rebuke and admonishment and correction when necessary (see all of the Old Testament prophets). And it also involves a substantial “teaching” component....
Women teaching men... young women teaching men... hmm...
You can no doubt see where I’m going here. It certainly gets you thinking doesn’t it? If one of the objections to women in church office is that women are biblically not allowed to teach men in the church (and I’ve heard that objection many times before), then how can these young women (or any women, for that matter) have the recognized and legitimate gift of prophecy?
Either the Bible is wrong here in saying these women prophesied, or the women did, but shouldn’t have (making a strange problem for us with the Holy Spirit giving them this gift in the first place), or we’re wrong in thinking that women should never teach men in the church. Could it be that we’ve made this into an issue that is too black and white? Perhaps there are other things we need to look at...?
Anyway, I know that this is not my usual blog post, but this is what struck me today. So today my prayer is, “Lord, help us to know and follow your will. Help us to truly discern what you have to say to us in your word and not to allow our own biases to colour what you have said. Lord make that true for me today. God, please bless all those who hold strong views on this issue. May we all continue to seek to honour you above all. Amen.”
in His service,
Pastor Dan.
I, however, have come to the place where I believe that women ought to be given roles in the church on an equal basis with men (both in terms of the skills required, and the specific kinds of roles). For example, I believe that women are given biblical license to be pastors, elders and deacons.
Now, I know that will be controversial to some of you. Some of you will say, “How can he say that when he knows about Paul’s admonishment that women ought to stay silent in the church, and that elders ought to be husbands of but one wife?”
Well I won’t go into the whole thing today, but this passage here is one (only one) of the passages that changed my mind on this. In this passage we read more about the journeys of Paul and his companions. Along the way they stay at Philip’s house (one of the seven men who was chosen to be a deacon in the early church--along with Stephen the first martyr). Philip, it turns out, has four unmarried daughters who “prophesied.”
Now remember, this passage is not the only one I rely on for my beliefs on this issue, but notice here that these four young women prophesied. Prophecy (unlike how we sometimes think of it today) is not simply the predicting of the future. Prophecy is a special gifting of communicating God’s truth to His people. It quite often involves visions, but not always. It quite often involves rebuke and admonishment and correction when necessary (see all of the Old Testament prophets). And it also involves a substantial “teaching” component....
Women teaching men... young women teaching men... hmm...
You can no doubt see where I’m going here. It certainly gets you thinking doesn’t it? If one of the objections to women in church office is that women are biblically not allowed to teach men in the church (and I’ve heard that objection many times before), then how can these young women (or any women, for that matter) have the recognized and legitimate gift of prophecy?
Either the Bible is wrong here in saying these women prophesied, or the women did, but shouldn’t have (making a strange problem for us with the Holy Spirit giving them this gift in the first place), or we’re wrong in thinking that women should never teach men in the church. Could it be that we’ve made this into an issue that is too black and white? Perhaps there are other things we need to look at...?
Anyway, I know that this is not my usual blog post, but this is what struck me today. So today my prayer is, “Lord, help us to know and follow your will. Help us to truly discern what you have to say to us in your word and not to allow our own biases to colour what you have said. Lord make that true for me today. God, please bless all those who hold strong views on this issue. May we all continue to seek to honour you above all. Amen.”
in His service,
Pastor Dan.